Door check and closer.



" A. J. ROSENTRETER.

DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER. APPUCATION FILED AUG. 6 1916- Patented Oct.31,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. J. R OSENTRETER.

DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-16,1916.

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RN Mm n0 n E L 8 Am m g Ti UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT J. RosEN RRTRR, or BO0NTON ivnw JERs Y, ASSIGNOR To EDGARzABRIsKrE, or MAPLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, AND FRANK E. HUTCHINS, or NEW YORK,N. Y.

DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Application filed August 16, 1916. Serial No. 115,120.

TRETER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boonton, inthe county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Door Checks and Closers, of which thefollowing is a specification. I

The invention pertains to door checks and closers adapted for slidingdoors of the character ordinarily employed at the different floors ofbuildings for guarding the entrances to the elevator shaft or shafts'and permitting, when open, access to the elevator car or cars whenarrested at the several floors of the building. These sliding doors areof various types, there being in some instances a stationary door orpanel imitating adoor with one sliding door to be moved by the operatoron the elevator car, and in other instances such panel with two slidingdoors arranged to telescope one along the other, and in other instancesthe said panel representing a door is in fact a door and hinged so thatit may be opened and fully expose the car, this latter class usuallybeing employed in connection with elevator cars designed to carryfreight and in which use it is desirable that a wide opening be providedfor the admission of desks and the like to the car.

..The features of my invention will be applied to the sliding door, orto the outer sliding door when two of such doors are used, and to astationary abutment, which may be afforded by the door framing, and saidfeatures comprise means enabling the attendant on the car to slide thedoor or doors to open osition, and means for automatically closing thedoor or doors and checking the same on their closing movement so thatthe door or doors will positively close but without undue noise.

One of the purposes of my invention is to provide door checking andclosin mechanism which may be applied to sliding doors already installedand to new doors without regard, in general instances, to theconstruction of the building or that portion thereof adjacent to theelevator shaft. In accordance with my invention the entire checking andclosing mechanism may be applied to the exposed portions of the door ordoors and jamb without diificultyand without modification in theirconstructionor arrangement or in the construction or arrangement of theparts of the building adjacent to the elevator shaft.

I present the preferred construction embodying my invention in thisapplication as applied to two doors, one being a slidmg door and theother an imitation door, whlch is sometimes hinged so as to beoccaslonally used as a door, said mechanism belng shown as attached atone end to the sliding door and at the other end to the jamb of what maybe said to be a stationary door.

My invention comprises a pair of toggle presented, reference being hadto the accompanylng drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of asliding door andan lmita-tion or panel door for an elevator shaftequipped with door opening, closing and checking means embodying my invention, this figure showing the side of the doors facing the elevatorshaft; Fig. 2 is a View. on a larger scale and partly broken away andpartly in section of the door operating mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1on a reduced scale; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through aportion of the same, taken on the dotted line 33 of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig.4is a vertical transverse section through a portion of the same, takenon the dotted line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinalsection, partly broken away, through a portion of the closing springmechanism, taken on the dotted line 55 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a detachedelevation of the adjoining portions of the toggle leing' shown as foldedupwardly, as happens duringthe opening of the door; Fig. 7 is a detachedview, partly broken away, of those portions of the mechanism directlyconnectvers and spring mechanism, the levers beed with the sliding door,Fig. 7 being presented to indicate the manner of detaching the togglelevers from the sliding door, and Fig. 8 is a top view, partly brokenaway, and on a larger scale of those portions of the mechanism directlyconnected with the sliding door.

In the drawings, 10 designates a sliding door of usual type, and 11 astationary or imitation door or panel behind which, in the usual courseof practice, the elevator operator stands, with his right hand near thestarting and stopping devices of the elevator car.

12, 13 indicate toggle levers pivotally connected together near theiradjoining ends by means of a rivetor pin 14, the outer end of the lever12 being pivotally secured by means of a pin 15 with a plate 16 rigidlyfastened to the door 10, while the outer endof the lever 13, which iscomposed of two parallel bars or members 17 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,is pivotally secured by a pin 18 between cars 19 formed on the upper endof a bracket plate 20 which is rigidly fastened to the door-jamb 21.

The lever 12 isa single member or bar and at its inner end is interposedbetween the inner ends of the parallel bars or members l7 constitutingthe toggle lever 13, and the pin 14 extends through said lever 12 andboth members of the lever 13. Adjacent to its inner end the lever 12 isformed in its upper edge Witha recess 22 which,

when the levers are in their extended posi tion, shown in Figs. 1 and 2,receives a transverse pin 23 carriedby the lever members 17. At itsouter end th e lever 12 contains an aperture 24 which freely passes uponthe pin 15, which extends outwardly from the bracket plate. 16, thef'outer end of the lever 12 being at the outer-side of the upper end ofa handle lever26 which is also hung upon the pin 15'. The handle lever26 when in its operative position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, inclinesdownwardly,andoutwardly, and said lever is provided at its lower endwith a suitable gripor auxiliaryhandle member 27 of anysuitablecharacter, while at its upper end the lever 26'has1secu'red to'it'aplate 28 affording'anarm 29 to engage the .lower edge-of the togglelever 12 and afinger 30 to lap upon saidlever 12 adjacent to the pin15'for maintaining said lever in position on said pin. during the usualoperation of the door, asshown in Fig. 2. The upper outer end of thelever 12 is cut away,-,as at 31 (Fig. 7), so that when the handlelever26 1s turned upwardly ihe outer end of the lever 12 may be slipped fromoff the pin 15,

which 'is'the conditionrepresented in Fig. 7, the lever 12beingsthere-shown as having been slipped ofi'flfrom-the pin 15 and inthat way become detached from the. door 10,. Fig. 7 also indicates thereadiness. with which its left hand end. has a the lever 12 may beapplied to the pin 15 and in that way to the door 10. I deem it highlydesirable that the lever may be de-- tached from the pin 15 and appliedthereto without requiring anything further than to turn the handle lever26 upwardly so that the finger 30 connected therewith may not interferewith the application of the lever 12 to position on the pin 15 or itsremoval therefrom. l Vhen the handle lever 26 is in its hangingoperative position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the end of the arm 29connected therewith engages the lower edge of the lever 12 inwardly ofthe pin 15, and hence when said lever 26 is pulled toward the right,looking at Fig. 2, it will cause the toggle lever 12 to turn upwardly onthe pin 15, as indicated in part, by dotted lines in Fig. 2, andthereupon the inner end of the lever 12 acting against the pin 23 willstart the lever 13 upwardly and finally the opening movement of the doorwill cause said leleases the lever 12 to be detached from said securingmeans.

Upon the members 17 constituting the toggle lever 13 is mounted acylinder 32 formed from a piece of=sheet metal whose side edgps areflanged downwardly, as at 33,

and secured'between said members 17, as represented in Figs. 2, 3 and 5.The cylinder 32 is elongated and contains a coiled door-closing spring34, one end of which has a bearing against the end 35 of the cylinder'32 and the other. end of which has a bearing against a follower 36mounted upon a rod which extends through a portion of the. spring 34 andis, withinsaid spring, connected at its left hand end (looking at Fig.2), with a cha n 38, which maintains the fol lower 36 against the end ofthe spring and said spring under tension. The rod 37 at ivotalconnection with the chain 38 and 2.171135 right hand end is threaded andengages a threaded hole 39 in the left hand end of a hollow cylindricalnut and guide 40. The left hand end .of the- I combined nut and guide 40is always within the cylinder 32, as shown in Fig. 2, and during theopening of the door and the folding upwardly of the toggle levers 12, 13said nut and guide 40 is pulled within the cylin-- der 32 and servesthrough the follower 36 as means for moving against and compressing thespring 34. The nut 40 is elongated so that it may have a free slidingmovement within the cylinder 32 and serve as a guide for the left handend of the spring and parts connected therewith, and the nut 40 ispreferably formed at its outer end with apertures 41 to receive anysuitable tool by which the nut 40 may be turned upon the'rod 37 the nutbeing adjustable on said rod and adapted by its adjustment to regulatethe tension of the spring 34 and the force said spring shall exertduring theclosing action of the door. The chain 38 is hooked upon an arm42 extending upwardly from a pair of disks 43 which are secured uponopposite faces of the inner end of the lever 12. The pin or rivet 14hereinbefore referred to extends through the disks 43. The disks 43represent plates suitable for carrying the arm 42 and they also spacethe adjacent faces of the toggle lever members 17 from the sides of thelever 12, this being desirable since during the opening of the door thearm 42 pulls the chain 38 toward the left and between said members 17,as shown in Fig. 6. During the opening of the door and the foldingupwardly of the toggle levers 12, 13, the arm 42, by pulling on thechain 38, draws the nut 40 and follower 36 inwardly along the cylinder32 with the result that the spring 34 is compressed; and thereupon whenthe door is released to close, said spring 34, by its expansiveforce,.causes the chain 38 to pull on the arm 42 and turn the levers 12,13 downwardly to the extent permitted by their securing pins and the pin23.

As suitable means for checking the closing action of the door under theforce of the spring 34, I provide a checking cylinder 44 which ispivoted to the bracket plate 20 and has the upper end of its piston-rod45 pivotally connected with the toggle lever 13 by means of a screw orpin 46 which is located below the pin 18 and disposed inwardlytherefrom, so that upon the folding upwardlyJ-of the toggle lever 13,said lever may operate as a crank for pulling the pistonrod 45 upwardlywithin the cylinder 44. Upon the piston-rod 45 is provided a valvedpiston 47 whose valve will open freely dur ing the ascent of thepiston-rod and substantially or wholly close the port through the pistonduring the descent of the piston-rod, thereby trapping the air or liquidthat may be at the time within the lower part of the cylinder andcompelling the travel of the same around the piston and through arestricted by-pass 48 whose passage may be regulated by a screw-valve 49in a customary way. I do not limit my invention to the details ofconstruction of the checking cylinder 44, sincev such details maybevariously modified in the present condition of the art.

\Vhen the door is opened and the togglelevers 12, 13 caused to foldupwardly, the

lever 13 will draw upwardly on the pistonrod 45, and thereafter when thedoor is released to close, the toggle lever 13 will force thepiston-rod45 downwardly and the liquid or air below the piston willserve to check the action of the spring 34 and compel the said lever,this engagement taking place after the toggle levers have started tofold upwardly, and thereafter the said lever is employed as asubstantially rigid bar to slide the door to its open position.

A pin or rivet 51 extending transversely through the lever members l'l'and flanges 33 may be used to securethe cylinder 32 on said members.

The operation of the various parts of the mechanism constituting myinvention has been given hereinbefore in connection with the explanationof the construction of said parts, and therefore it is believed thatfurther description as to the operation of the mechanism is notnecessary.

\Vhat I claim as my invention and desire prising, in combination, togglelevers pivot-' ally connected together and-one of which is pivotallyconnected with the sliding door and the other to an abutment, springmechanism connected with said levers for closing the door, and means forchecking the closing of the door, said spring mechanism comprising anelongated cylinder mounted on one of said levers, a coiled springtherein, and flexible means connected with the other lever and engagingone end of said spring for compressing the spring on the folding of thelevers during the opening of the door.

2. Sliding door operating mechanism com-. prising, in combination,toggle levers pivotally connected together and one of which is pivotallyconnected to v the sliding door and the other toan abutment and one ofwhich levers is formed of two spaced apart der mounted on said bars andhaving flanges extending downwardly thereon, a. coiled spring withinsaid cylinder, means for regulating thetension of said spring, and meansconnected with the other lever and one end of said spring forcompressing said spring on the foldingof the levers during the openingof the door.

3. Sliding door operating mechanism comprising, in combination, togglelevers pivotally connected together and one of which is pivotallyconnected to the sliding door and the other to van abutment, and springmechanism connected with said levers for closing the door, said springmechanism comprising iao ' la-tinan elongated cylinder mountedlengthwise on one of said levers, a coiled spring therein having a fixedbearingat one end, a follower engaging the other end of said spring andflexible means connected with the other lever and said follower forcompressing said spring on the folding of said levers during the openingof the door.

4. Sliding door operating mechanism comprising, in combination, togglelevers pivotally connected together and one of which is pivotallyconnected to the sliding door and the other to an abutment, and springmechanism connected with said levers for closing the door, said springmechanism comprising anelongated cylinder mounted on one of said levers,a coiled spring therein having a fixed hearing at one end, a followerengaging the other end of said spring, an

arm projecting from the other lever and a chain connected with said armand said follower for compressing said spring on the folding of saidlevers during the opening of the door.

5. Sliding door operating mechanism comprising, in combination, togglelevers pivotally connected together and one of which is pivotallyconnected with the sliding door and the other to an abutment, and springmechanism connected with said levers for closing the door, said springmechanism comprising an elongated cylinder mounted lengthwise on one ofsaid levers, a coiled spring therein having a fixed hearing at one end,a follower engaging the other end of said spring, an arm on the otherlever, flexible means connected with said arm and said follower forcompressing said spring on the folding of said levers during the openingof the door, and means for regulating the tension of said spring.

6. Sliding door operating mechanism comprising, in combination, togglelevers pivotally connected together and one of which is pivotallyconnected with the sliding door and the other to an abutment, and springmechanism connected with said levers for closing the door, said springmechanism comprising an elongated cylinder mounted on one of saidlevers, a coiled spring therein having fixed bearing at one end, afollower engaging the other endof said spring, an adustable nut engagingsaid follower for reguhe tension of said spring, an, arm projecting fromthe other lever and a chain engaging said arm and thence extendingthrough said spring and-having on its end a threaded rod in engagementwith said nut,

whereby said arm becomes connected with said follower for compressingsaid spring on the folding of said levers during theopening of the door.

7. Sliding door operating mechanism comprising, in combination, togglelevers pivot- 5 ally connected together and one of which is pivotallyconnected with the sliding door and the other to an abutment, and springmechanism connected with said levers for closing the door, said springmechanism comprising an elongated cylinder mounted on one of saidlevers, a coiled spring therein having-a fixed bearing at one end, afollower engaging the other end of said spring, an adjustable nutengaging said follower for regulating the tension of said spring,'an armprojecting from the other lever and a chain engaging said'arm and thenceextending through said spring and having on its end a threaded rod inengagement with said nut, whereby said arm becomes connected with saidfollower for compnessing said spring on the folding of said leversduring the opening of the door and said nut being elongated and cylinrrical and with reasonable snugness fitting the bore of said cylinder.

8. Sliding door operating mechanism comprising, in combination, togglelevers pivotally connected together and one of which is pivotallyconnected to the sliding door and the other to an abutment, and one ofwhich levers is formed of two spaced apart bars receiving between themat their inner endsthe inner end of the other lever, plates secured tothe opposite faces of said other lever, an arm projecting from saidplates, and spring mechanism connected with said levers for closing thedoor, said spring mechanism comprising an elongated cylinder mountedlengthwise on said bars, a coiled spring within said cylinder having afixed hearing at oneend, a follower engaging the other end of saidspring and flexible means connected with said arm and said follower forcompressing said spring on the folding of said levers during the openingof the door.

9. Sliding door operating mechanism comprising, in combination, togglelevers pivot-,

ally connected together and one of which is pivotally connected to thesliding door and the other to an abutment, and one of which levers isformed of two spaced apart bars receiving between them at their innerends the inner'end of the other lever, plates secured to the oppositefaces of said other lever, an arm projecting from said plates, andspring mechanism connected with said levers for closing the door, saidspring mechanism comprising an elongated cylinder mounted lengthwise onsaid bars, a coiled spring Within said cylinder having a fixed hearingat one end, a follower engaging the other end of said spring andflexible means connected with saidarm and said follower for compressingsaid spring on the folding of said levers during the opening of thedoor, and said lates being disks and said flexible means Being a chainadapted to be drawn between the inner ends of said bars when the togglelevers are folded upwardly.

l0. Sliding door operating mechanism comprising, in combination, togglelevers pivotally connected together and one of which ispivotally'connected to an abutment, a plate fastened to the sliding doorhaving a stud or pin on which the outer end of the other lever ispivotally mounted, a handle lever pivotally swung upon said stud or pinand having a part to engage said other lever inwardly of said stud orpin for starting said levers toward their folded position and also apart overlapping the end of said other lever to retain it upon said studor pin when the handle lever is in operative position and adapted topermit the release of said other lever from said stud or pin when it,said handle lever, turned to an inoperative position, and means forclosing the door.

'11. Sliding door operating mechanism comprising, in combination, togglelevers pivotally connected together and one .of'

which is pivotally connected to an abutment, a plate fastened to thesliding door having a stud or pin on which the outer end of the otherlever is pivotally mounted, a handle lever pivotally swung upon said,stud or pin and having a part to engage said other lever inwardly ofsaid stud or pin for starting said levers toward their folded positionand also a part overlapping the end of said other lever to retain itupon said stud or pin when the handle lever is in operative position,and means for closing the door, the outer end of said other lever beingcut away at one edge so as to become free of said overlapping part whenthe handle lever is turned to an inoperative position.

Signed at New York-city, in the county of New York and-State ofNew'York, this 15th day of August A. D. 1916..

- ALBERT, J. ROSENTRETER. Witnesses: V f

ARTHUR MARION,

CHAS. C. GILL.

